Department dives in to save dog

Wednesday

Feb 6, 2013 at 6:00 AMFeb 6, 2013 at 1:31 PM

West Boylston Fire Department Lieutenant Chris Koppetsch wraps his body around Teddy, a 1-year-old Bernese mountain dog that had fallen through the ice off Malden Street on Saturday. Fire Chief Richard Pauley Jr. said a caller reported an animal in distress at Malden Brook Pond Saturday morning. The investigating officer realized it was a dog and the department's rescue crew was dispatched. Koppetsch was tethered and made his way to the dog, entered the water and was pulled out by other firefighters. Pauley said the department practices cold water rescues annually, and makes similar water retrievals each winter. The dog, which had been missing since Jan. 28, had ice build-up under its collar and his hind legs were frozen, but the owners reported on the department's Facebook page that the dog was doing fine after a night at the veterinarian's office. See more photos and video on the police and fire departments' Facebook pages.